E/CN.4/1991/56 page 80 The annual Monlam Prayer Ceremony in Lhasa was cancelled in 1990. According to the information received, there is a plan to remove religious texts from monasteries throughout Tibet and centralize them in Lhasat where only approved scholars and religious people would enjoy access to them." 51,, On 13. December 1990s the Government of China sent its comments to the Special Rapporteur regarding the above-mentioned information: "I* On the allegation that 'large numbers of monks and nuns have been expelled from monasteries and temples and their movements restricted by the authorities!. A few Tibetan monks and nuns, incited by the separatists abroad, repeatedly participated in the activities of splitting the country and stirring up riots since the fall of 1987. These activities violated the Chinese Constitution and relevant laws and seriously disrupted the national security and social order. To uphold the dignity of the law and ensure normal religious activities, the Democratic Administrative Committees of some monasteries and temples, according to the Democratic Administrative Rules of Monasteries and Temples, expelled since 1989 some monks and nuns who had participated in riots, violated religious doctrines and refused to acknowledge their mistakes. Some of these monks and nuns have been punished by judicial organs for their crimes, others have all returned to their ancestral homes. They are living a normal life. There is no so-called restriction on them. It must be pointed out that respect for and protection of the freedom of religious belief is a consistent stand and a basic policy of the Chinese Government. In China all citizens, religious believers or not, are equal politically. They enjoy rights stipulated in the Chinese Constitution and at the same time must abide by the laws. No one who violates the law can escape from due punishement. The fact that some criminal monks and nuns have been punished according to the law has nothing to do with the religious belief. 2. On the allegation that 'police were sent and stationed around the monasteries and temples'. In recent 10 years, Tibetan buddhism has witnessed rapid development. At present, there are over 1,400 monasteries and temples and more than 34,000 monks and nuns in Tibet. Every year, large numbers of religious believers go to some famous monasteries and temples to worship and give alms. On religious festivals, tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, including many Chinese and foreign tourists, participate in the activities. In order to safeguard normal religious activities and to maintain the social order, the public security organs in Tibet have established several police stations there according to the relevant regulations of the Government. This measure is beneficial to the religious believers for their normal religious activities and is absolutely lawful and justified. Besides, the allegation that 'the armed police were stationed around the Drepand Monastery' is totally groundless. 3. On the allegation that 'the annual Monlam Prayer Ceremony in 1990 was cancelled'.